The Second Book of Moses CalledExodus

Chapter 4

The Lord gives signs to Moses—Aaron is chosen as a spokesman—Israel is the Lord’s firstborn and must be released to serve Him—Moses’ son is circumcised—Moses and Aaron lead Israel in worship.

1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not abelieve me, nor bhearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

6 ¶ And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand wasaleprous as snow.

7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and aplucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was bturned again as his other flesh.

8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter asign.

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of athe river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become bblood upon the dry land.

10 ¶ And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of aspeech, and of a bslow tongue.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who amaketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy amouth, and bteach thee what thou shalt csay.

13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, aby the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

14 And the aanger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy amouth, and with his mouth, and will bteach you what ye shall do.

16 And he shall be thy aspokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him binstead of cGod.

17 And thou shalt take this arod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

18 ¶ And Moses went and returned to aJethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are adead which sought thy blife.

20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the arod of God in his hand.

21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those awonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine bhand: cbut I will dharden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.